


'Neath The Water's Surface

by ooopo123



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Cindersap Forest - Freeform, Elliott centirc, Elliott is a mermaid, Gen, He is and you can fight me on that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 14:59:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16557938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ooopo123/pseuds/ooopo123
Summary: He missed the lake; the hour long baths; special trips down to the ocean that perhaps lasted too long for most others… He missed his parents and being around others like him.





	'Neath The Water's Surface

Early memories were watery, in the most metaphorical and literal of senses for Elliott. He remembers his father taking him down to the lake nearby, where they would stay all weekend only emerging come Monday morning, and his mother taking baths with him every night; submerging both of them beneath the water where they’d giggle ‘til the water ran cold. 

It was those memories that drove him to choose Stardew Valley as his new home all these years later. He needed a new start, for himself and his potential novel; a change from the city-life he’d found himself succumbing to as adult-hood crept in on him like storm a storm on the horizon. He missed the lake; the hour long baths; special trips down to the ocean that perhaps lasted too long for most others… He missed his parents and being around others like him. 

Stardew seemed to be the balm for such an ache. He was able to secure a cabin on the beach, re-living those sea-side days his heart so longed for. Willy was a wonderful neighbour; always up for a chat, ensuring he was less lonely than he expected to be in such a secluded area. More or less everyone in town were a delight to be around. And the _lake. By God the **lake.**_

Cindersap Forrest was a marvelous place to behold, with its acres upon acres of undeveloped land devoted to nothing but to being unabashedly its natural self; with its towering maple, oak and pine trees selectively filtering in light from above to perfectly frame the beauty of the river and lake. 

If anyone asked Elliott what his favourite part of the forest was, how could they possibly expect any answer other than the lake. During the day he’d come by to soak his toes in the warming water; to smile fondly at Jas playing jump-rope, as she constantly lost track in her counting; to occasionally share a bottle with Shane in an effort to make new friends and to stop him from drinking himself to sleep too early on in the day. Visiting at night had to be his favourite, though. 

Then and there, when there was no Willy fishing; no Jas skipping; no Shane drinking; no one to see and to whisper _‘what is he?’_ now that... _That_ had to be his favourite time. He’d slip into the water, wearing a dress to make it easy to slip out of his clothes once submerged, and _swim_ down, down, down to the bottom of the lake. Where he’d play with what fish weren’t sleeping; clean up what trash he could, and simply stay in the encompassing cold that soothed rather than hurt his skin and soul. 

Perhaps his next story should be about a lake, and a mermaid that was able to learn about happiness all over again. 

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a joke over on PrendorianCrab's Twitch channel during one of her Stardew Valley streams. We were all joking that Elliott was secretly a mermaid because 'he lives on the beach, so of course he is!'.  
> A lot of fun was had writing this.


End file.
